About The Colour Cycle Podcast
The Colour Cycle podcast shares knowledge, experience and insight from artists and creative workers from across Australia and around the world. The podcast shares critical conversations about racial equity in the arts and screen sectors. We’re also sharing leading practices, and spotlighting great work and creators. Here are some previous seasons of the podcast: https://diversityarts.org.au/the-colour-cycle-podcast-archive/
The Colour Cycle is a project of Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) Australia’s national voice for cultural diversity and racial equity in the arts, cultural and creative industries. Our work is underpinned by a human-rights ethic, social justice principles, and the belief that a truly diverse spectrum of creative expression and participation is fundamental to a democratic, inclusive and sustainable creative sector, and society.
The Colour Cycle Season 7: Where We Are Now
This podcast was produced on the unceded lands of the Bidjigal Clan of the Darug nation and the Gadigal and Wangal peoples of the Eora Nation.
Get ready for Season 7 of The Colour Cycle podcast, Where We Are Now! This season unpacks powerful stories of creativity, resilience, and social change—spotlighting women in hip-hop, radical care in the arts, and the transformative impact of diverse leadership across Australia and the UK. Find the Colour Cycle Podcast on all good listening platforms:
Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic
Season 7 is a collaboration with This Is Who We Are. It is a project which amplifies and brings together Women of Colour/Global Majority Women in solidarity. Formed by a collective including Renaissance One, Third Space, Diversity Arts Australia and more plus Australia and UK-based cultural practitioners/activists including Lena Nahlous, Bernardine Evaristo, Dr Paula Abood, Nur Shkembi, Melanie Abrahams and Sarah Dara. This season is supported by Creative Australia, Create NSW, British Council and Renaissance One.
Season 7 - List of episodes
EP 1 - Women In Hip Hop
In this episode we are joined by women from across Australia, the US and the U.K connected through their shared passion for Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop has long been a bastion of anti-establishment rhetoric, providing a platform for the voiceless to be heard.
The industry veterans you’ll hear talk about the importance of hip-hop in forming connections, how self-determined spaces are crucial, as well as going over the many challenges they faced when breaking into the industry.
This discussion was conducted as part of the This Is Who We Are Project.
Guests: MC Trey, Maya Jupiter, Naomi Wenitong, DJ Sarah Love and TRUEmendous
Host: Lena Nahlous
Producers: Vir Kaula, Sonia Mehrmand and Kevin Bathman
EP 2 - Forging Your Own Path as an Industry Leader
In this Interview, Dr Görkem Acaroğlu is joined by industry veteran and CEO of the Creative Diversity Network in the UK; Deborah Williams OAM. Together they reflect on Deborah’s career spanning over thirty years in the arts and how she was able to forge her own path. They examine the importance of diversity in leadership roles and why audiences should see things they don’t like.
Guests: Deborah Williams
Hosted by: Dr Görkem Acaroğlu
Producers: Vir Kaula, Sonia Mehrmand and Kevin Bathman
EP 3 - Radical Care Part 1: Fostering Safe Spaces for Artists
In this episode we dive into the concept of radical care. Like many of topics we discuss here on the Colour Cycle, care is often unequally distributed across society with traditionally marginalised communities often receiving the least. As people within the arts we ask what can do to help facilitate an environment that feels safe and welcoming to all artists.
To answer these questions, our very own Lena Nahlous is joined by two very special guests. Tian Zhang is the essayist behind the inspiration for this episode ‘A Manifesto For Radical Care & How To Be A Human In The Arts’ She works out of western Sydney as the Co-director of Pari, an arts and community space. Our second guest is the UK based writer, poet and artistic director of the Red Ladder Theatre company, Cheryl Martin. Together they dissect what care looks like and how we can foster a sense of community in the industry.
Guests: Tian Zhang and Cheryl Martin
Hosted by: Lena Nahlous
Producers: Vir Kaula, Sonia Mehrmand and Kevin Bathman
EP 4 - Radical Care Part 2: Finding Solidarity
We continue here where we left off last time with writer, curator and co-director of Pari Tian Zhang alongside artistic director of the Red Ladder Theater company, Cheryl Martin.
During the pandemic there was a breakdown in the formal structures of care which gave way to unprecedented rates of racism and abuse. Cheryl and Tian reflect on the pandemic’s lingering impacts, how it made clear the gaps that exist in our social welfare systems as well as unexpected positives such as community finding solidarity amongst the hardship.
Guests: Tian Zhang and Cheryl Martin
Hosted by: Lena Nahlous
Producers: Vir Kaula, Sonia Mehrmand and Kevin Bathman
Ep 5 - Bonus Episode: Diversity and Equity in Arts Leadership
What makes for a good leader?
In this episode we are first joined by creative strategist and Co-CEO of Narrative Muse, Nigel Lopez-Mcbean. Originally from England and now based in Australia, Nigel pulls upon his years of industry knowledge to give us a masterclass on the importance of diverse leadership.
Later on in the show, we hear from Hilary Carty. As the executive director at Clore Leadership in the UK she has extensive experience in creating healthy and effective organisations from the top down. Here she talks about how we can foster a diverse workplace and the ins-and-outs of management.
Guests: Nigel Lopez-Mcbean and Hilary Carty
Hosted by: Lena Nahlous
Producers: Vir Kaula, Sonia Mehrmand and Kevin Bathman
The Colour Cycle Season 6: Pacesetters Conversations
Get ready for Season 6 of The Colour Cycle Podcast: Pacesetters conversations. Dive into intergenerational dialogues with trailblazing artists from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds. Find out more about the social impact of their creative journeys at the original Pacesetters Creative Archives project by Diversity Arts Australia.
The Colour Cycle Podcast is on all good listening platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Castbox, Castro, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, PodChaser, RadioPublic, SimpleCast, and Stitcher.
This season is supported by Create NSW. Diversity Arts also receives core funding from Australia Council for the Arts.
Listen to Season 6
Listen to all the episodes in Season 6: Pacesetters Conversations
Season 6 - List of episodes
The Colour Cycle Season 5: StoryCasters TAKEOVER
StoryCasters is a project of Diversity Arts Australia and provides training and mentorship to young culturally diverse digital producers. Visit STORYCASTERS.NET for more.
The Colour Cycle Podcast is on all good listening platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Castbox, Castro, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Listen Notes, Overcast, Playerfm, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, PodChaser, RadioPublic, SimpleCast, Stitcher, and TuneIn.
This season is supported by Multicultural NSW and Create NSW. Diversity Arts also receives core funding from Australia Council for the Arts. StoryCasters trainer/ mentors: Jennifer Macey, Phoenix Eye, Sweatshop Literacy Movement, Nicola Morton, Del Lumanta.
Season 5 - List of episodes
The Colour Cycle Season 4: Esteemed UK and Australian artists share WHO ARE WE NOW? in this special season!
This podcast was produced on the unceded lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin nation, and the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. Always was. Always will be. Aboriginal Land.
As part of British Council’s UK/AUS Season, Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) is proud to present a new season of The Colour Cycle podcast spotlighting synergy between trailblazing female creatives in the UK and Australia!
Four insightful episodes—titled UK/AUS – This is Who We Are (Part One)—emphasise the experiences of women of colour and Indigenous women working in the arts and creative industries in the UK and Australia. The guests share cross-cultural knowledge, unpack the differences between regions, the notion of resilience, existing as women in artistic spaces and what they’ve learned throughout their careers.
Novelist and producer Sharmilla Beezmohun and filmmaker and broadcaster Pearl Tan (Pearly Productions)
This podcast is a collaboration with This Is Who We Are, a UK-Australian movement of intergenerational & intersectional women artists, producers and creatives of colour who are transforming sectors, thinking and spaces.Co-directors Melanie Abrahams (Director. Renaissance One), Paula Abood (Director of The Third Space), Lena Nahlous (Executive Director of Diversity Arts Australia and host of The Colour Cycle podcast), Nur Shkembi (Melbourne based curator, writer and scholar). Festival Curator Melanie Abrahams Project Manager: Sarah Dara. Producer Renaissance One.
Support Diversity Arts on Patreon to help us continue to deliver our Colour Cycle podcast series.
Listen to Season 4
Listen to all the episodes in Season 4: This is Who We Are – UK/AUS (Part One)
Season 4 - List of Episodes
The Colour Cycle Season 3 is here!
This new season of The Colour Cycle is centred around “Concrete Strategies for Racial Equity.” We cover a huge breadth of content: the impacts of Covid-19 on artists, global anti-racism movements such as Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate, the necessity of diversity standards, the power of Indigenous music in retaining language, and the importance of allyship and leadership networks. The season also features a series of conversations with UK creative industry thought-leaders, in partnership with British Council Australia. Featuring: Writer/ broadcaster Benjamin Law; Executive Director, Creative Diversity Network UK Deborah Williams; Noongar singer/songwriter Gina Williams; Head of Inclusion, British Film Institute Jennifer Smith; artist and refugee advocate Safdar Ahmed; writer/performer Moreblessing Maturure; Senior Manager, Aboriginal Strategy and Engagement at Create NSW Peter White; Asian Australian Alliance Founder Erin Chew; local media legend Sunil Badami + MORE.
The opening and closing track “You know What” was written by UK based musician Spider J. Heartfelt thanks to Arts and Cultural Exchange for providing us with a recording studio.
Support Diversity Arts on Patreon to help us continue to deliver our Colour Cycle podcast series.
Listen to Season 3
Listen to all the episodes in Season 3: Concrete Strategies for Racial Equity
Season 3 - List of episodes
The Colour Cycle podcast Season 2: Fair Play!
The Colour Cycle Podcast is packed with important ideas, strategies and insights from leading thinkers in the arts. If you’re committed to equity in the creative sectors, then you don’t want to miss this. This season features a special recording of Fair Play season live at the Diversity Arts Symposium, Wheeler Centre in Melbourne.
We’re sharing these thought-provoking and courageous conversations far and wide. Conversations and experiences from First Nations trail blazers Genevieve Grieves and Tony Briggs, international guests like Deborah Williams from the UK’s Creative Diversity Network, Disability leader, artist Caroline Bowditch, Aseel Tayah, Paula Abood, and many more.
Listen to the Season 2 trailer and The Fair Play Season 2 episodes kicking off with Episode 1: First Peoples First on our website below or on all good listening platforms.
Legendary hip-hop and soul artist MC Trey composed our title track.
Support Diversity Arts on Patreon to help us continue to deliver our Colour Cycle podcast series.
Season 2 - List of episodes
The Colour Cycle Season 1: A podcast to challenge cultural whitewashing
The Colour Cycle aims to disrupt cultural whitewashing and examines whether Australia’s Arts and Cultural sector looks like Australia. Join the conversation on your socials with #TheColourCycle.
Listen to a short Intro:
Listen to Season 1
Listen to all the episodes in Season 1: A podcast to challenge cultural whitewashing
Season 1 - List of episodes
“We want our podcast to open up the conversation about why our arts and screens don’t reflect Australia’s real cultural diversity. We’re also showcasing some brilliant artists and creative workers along the way.”
“Growing up without seeing yourself reflected back in your nation’s stories is a quietly dehumanising thing.”